Knicks not getting big-headed despite historic playoff margins: ‘Yesterday is irrelevant’

“That stuff doesn’t matter. [For] Philly, Boston was a favorite in their last series, and [Philly] came back from down 3-1, you know what I mean? So, like, being the favorite means literally nothing. Every game you have to come in with a focus and attention to detail. And if you don’t do that, you can lose anybody in this league if you do that,” he said. “We feel like we can beat anybody, but it’s that mentality that you have to go out there and be present every single day. Not worried about the past, because that’s irrelevant. Not worried about what the future holds, because you have no idea. It’s about us being in the present.

“So we don’t really care too much about being favorites or All-Stars, All-NBA, and all, because at the end of the day, none of that really matters. And none of that matters if you win. No one remembers the leading scorer or how many All-Stars you had or how many All-NBA [honors]. They remember you being a champion, and that’s obviously the goal.”

MAX ATTACK

If the Knicks are going to replicate their success from Game 1, it’ll start and end with Sixers’ All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey. The Knicks held Maxey to just three-of-nine shooting for 13 points and two assists with four turnovers in 27 minutes of play in Game 1.

“I feel like the whole team was just locked in, honestly,” McBride said of defending the All-star guard. “Mikal [Bridges] started off on him really well, and then I came in, but there were times where other guys were matched up with him, and all of our antennas are up just guarding him as a team.”

The 25-year-old Sixers star averaged 28 points over his last 10 regular season games against the Knicks and averaged 29.8 points in the six games played through the 2024 Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Hart harped on Bridges being key in stopping Maxey’s scoring going forward.

“That was huge. Both of those guys [Mikal and Deuce] obviously are blessed enough athletically to be able to keep up with him, use their physicality, use their length to their advantage,” he said. “Maxey obviously is an offense unto himself, being able to break out and transition. You know, he’s tough [to guard], so they did an amazing job on him and have to continue it.”

CONDOLENCES

Mike Brown extended his condolences to Sixers’ head coach Nick Nurse, who was excused from team practice on Tuesday to attend the funeral of his older brother, Steve, who passed away unexpectedly ahead of Game 6 of the Sixers-Celtics series.

“I heard about his brother, and I’d like to pass my condolences along to Nick Nurse and his family, his brother’s family and all their friends. Life is precious,” said Brown. “You don’t wish that upon anybody. So I’d like to pass along my condolences to him and his family while they’re going through these times.”